Vans’ original Californian brand of footwear, clothing and sports accessories action and part of VF Corporation is setting new goals for reaffirming its sustainable position in reducing the global environmental impact towards creating circular products with systems that use regenerative and recycled materials to reduce waste and to keep products in use and out of landfills. Including committing to manufacturing 100% regenerative basic materials of responsible origin, renewable or recycled by 2030.
Kim Matsoukas, Senior Sustainability Manager at Vans, said: “At Vans, we believe sustainability starts with all of us, but it can only be achieved in partnership.” Improving its sustainability efforts includes helping the United Nations achieve the organization’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 to ensure responsible consumption and production patterns.
For Vans it is essential to enable creative expression as a purpose-oriented company that is rooted in youth culture by leveraging a commitment to creativity to seek new solutions that reimagine the life cycle of products and protect the environment for future generations.
Carbon reduction by 30% by 2030.
To achieve its sustainability goals by 2030, Vans is committed to ensuring that 100% of its superior materials include: rubber, cotton, leather and polyester and that they are regenerative, responsible, renewable or recycled. This will be assisted through the partnership with Terra Genesis that generate regenerative rubber and Indigo Ag that supplies cotton: by Vans.
In addition, Vans will commit to a 43% carbon reduction by reducing the average impact of its superior materials by 35% by 2025, using 50% of recycled polyester by 2025 and supplying cotton to 100% sustainably grown by 2025. That means exploring innovative solutions, such as natural alternatives to traditional synthetics or recycled natural materials.
A new sustainable vision by 2030
Vans seeks to eliminate all single-use plastics and reduce waste at “every point of its business model” by 2025. With the final commitment of the U.S. company to convert all owned and operated facilities into 100% renewable energy by 2025.
The brand of footwear, accessories and clothing added that in Europe it is also partnering with Soles4Souls, a profit-building organization that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the free distribution of shoes and clothing around the world.